Yesterday at 20:02
Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton believes that President Donald Trump’s threats of sanctions against Russia are empty and that the White House leader is merely trying to appear “balanced” in his stance on Ukraine and Russia.
Bolton shared this opinion on CNN.
According to him, both Trump and Vladimir Putin fully understand that the U.S. president’s threats to impose sanctions and tariffs against Russia are “absolutely empty.”
“He (Trump) did this in an attempt to show some kind of balance, considering the things he has said about Zelensky and the Ukrainians,” Bolton stated.
Analyzing Trump’s threats, Bolton noted that Russian imports to the U.S. in 2024 amounted to just under $3 billion, which is insignificant compared to the U.S.’s overall trade volume with the rest of the world.
He emphasized that since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian imports to the U.S. have decreased by 90%. “So, tariffs make no sense,” Bolton said.
Regarding potential new sanctions, Bolton pointed out that Russia has successfully learned how to circumvent restrictions, particularly financial ones.
“I think Putin clearly understood that this threat was absolutely empty,” the former Trump advisor concluded.
On March 7, Trump stated that he was considering imposing large-scale sanctions and tariffs against Russia over its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
At the same time, on Friday, Trump said that in resolving the war, he finds it “easier to deal” with Russia than with Ukraine.
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